LCD backlight driving signal generator
The present invention discloses a backlight driving signal generator used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) controller. The backlight driving signal generator is coupled to a backlight driving circuit of the LCD and capable of issuing a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal to control the backlight driving circuit to function accordingly. In a preferred aspect, the backlight signal generator is capable of being adapted for the backlight driving circuit of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) or that of light emitting diodes (LEDs).
Latest Mstar Semiconductor, Inc. Patents:
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a backlight driving signal generator and, more particularly, to a backlight driving signal generator used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) controller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the rapid development in the flat panel display (FPD) industry, the LCD has become the most popular display media. However, a backlight unit is required to provide a light source in order to display visible images on the screen because the liquid crystal molecules are not luminescent.
Currently, most backlight units comprise cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) or light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a backlight source. Cold cathode fluorescent lamps are driven by alternate-current (AC) power so as to prevent non-uniformity of luminance due to clustered gaseous ions caused by direct-current (DC) power. On the other hand, light emitting diodes are driven by DC power without inverting the input power into AC power.
The backlight units are driven in different ways according to the elements used in the backlight units. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an LCD controller capable of controlling the luminance of both cold cathode fluorescent lamps and light emitting diodes.
Generally, the controller for cold cathode fluorescent lamps is not compatible for light emitting diodes, and vice versa. It will bring forth more flexibility and convenience to use an LCD controller capable of controlling the luminance of a backlight unit when the backlight unit is implemented by using either cold cathode fluorescent lamps or light emitting diodes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a backlight driving signal generator used in an LCD controller. The backlight driving signal generator in the LCD controller outputs a control signal to control the luminance of an LCD that employs either cold cathode fluorescent lamps or light emitting diodes as a backlight unit.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, the present invention provides a backlight driving signal generator used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) controller, the backlight driving signal generator comprising: a first pulse width modulation unit for generating a first pulse signal; and a second pulse width modulation unit for generating a second pulse signal; wherein the backlight driving signal generator is coupled to a backlight driving circuit of an LCD and outputting the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal so as to control the backlight driving circuit; the backlight driving signal generator is capable of being adapted for a driving circuit for cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) or a driving circuit for light emitting diodes (LEDs).
In order to achieve the foregoing object, the present invention further provides a backlight driving signal generator used in an LCD controller, the backlight driving signal generator being coupled to a backlight unit of an LCD and adjusting the control over the backlight unit according to whether the backlight unit comprises cold cathode fluorescent lamps or light emitting diodes, the backlight driving signal generator comprising a first signal generating unit, a second signal generating unit and a voltage supply unit. The first signal generating unit for outputting a first pulse signal. The second signal generating unit for outputting a second pulse signal. The voltage supply unit comprising a primary winding for inducing an induced voltage so as to drive the backlight unit, the voltage supply unit adjusting the output power of the induced voltage using the first pulse signal. Preferably, the primary winding comprises a first winding controlled by the first pulse signal and a second winding controlled by the second pulse signal. The second pulse signal is adjusted to be held at a high-voltage level or a low-voltage level.
The objects, spirits and advantages of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be readily understood by the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions, wherein:
The present invention discloses a backlight driving signal generator used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) controller and can be exemplified by the preferred embodiments as described hereinafter.
Please refer to
Please refer to
The first pulse signal 115 and the second pulse signal 125 from the backlight driving signal generator 10 are at a high-voltage level alternately and not simultaneously so as to prevent the transistors Q1 and Q2 from being turned on at the same time. The driving circuit 21 is controlled by the first pulse signal 115 and the second pulse signal 125 so as to drive the cold cathode fluorescent lamps 22. The waveforms of the first pulse signal 115 and the second pulse signal 125 are as shown in
The backlight driving signal generator adapted for the push-pull driving circuit of the present embodiment is only exemplifying the present invention and thus the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the backlight driving signal generator of the present invention can also be adapted for other CCFL driving circuits, such as a full-bridge driving circuit.
Please refer to
The first pulse signal 115 from the backlight driving signal generator 10 is at a high-voltage level periodically and the second pulse signal 125 is held at a high-voltage level. The waveforms of the first pulse signal 115 and the second pulse signal 125 are as shown in
Please refer to
Please refer to
Please refer to
Accordingly, the present invention provides a backlight driving signal generator used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) controller. The backlight driving signal generator outputs two pulse signals to control the backlight unit according to whether the backlight driving circuit is a driving circuit for cold cathode fluorescent lamps or a driving circuit for light emitting diodes. Therefore, the backlight driving signal generator of the present invention is adapted for both the driving circuit for cold cathode fluorescent lamps and the driving circuit for light emitting diodes.
Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments that will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. This invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A backlight driving signal generator for receiving a control signal from a micro controller to control a backlight driving circuit of a liquid crystal display (LCD), the backlight driving signal generator comprising:
- a first pulse width modulation unit for generating a first pulse signal; and
- a second pulse width modulation unit for generating a second pulse signal;
- wherein the backlight driving signal generator transmits the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal to the backlight driving circuit, the backlight driving signal is capable of driving a cold cathode fluorescent lamp when receiving the control signal from said micro controller to alternate both the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal at a first high-voltage level and a first low-voltage level, the backlight driving signal generator is capable of driving a light emitting diode when receiving the control signal from said micro controller to alternate the first pulse signal at a second high-voltage level and a second low-voltage level, and to utilize the second pulse signal as a switching signal; and
- wherein the backlight driving circuit is coupled to a backlight unit, and the backlight unit provides a connection for only cold cathode fluorescent lamp operation or only light emitting diode operation as mutually exclusive light sources.
2. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory unit for storing a control data so as to control the second pulse signal.
3. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 2, wherein the memory unit is a data register.
4. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory unit for storing a control data so as to control the first pulse signal.
5. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the backlight driving signal generator is controlled by a micro-controller.
6. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 5, wherein the micro-controller executes a program code so as to control the backlight driving signal generator.
7. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the second pulse signal is a switching signal for the light-emitting diodes when the backlight driving signal generator is coupled to the driving circuit for the light-emitting diodes.
8. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the backlight driving circuit for driving the cold cathode fluorescent lamp is a push-pull driving circuit.
9. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the backlight driving circuit for driving the cold cathode fluorescent lamp is a full-bridge driving circuit.
10. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the backlight driving circuit for driving the cold cathode fluorescent lamp comprises a voltage transforming circuit.
11. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the driving circuit for the light-emitting diodes comprises a DC-to-DC converter circuit.
12. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the driving circuit for the light-emitting diodes comprises a peak detection circuit for detecting the voltage level of the second pulse signal.
13. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 12, wherein the peak detection circuit comprises a diode coupled in series to a capacitor and a resistor coupled in parallel.
14. The backlight driving signal generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the backlight unit comprises a cold cathode fluorescent lamp.
15. A backlight driving signal generating method for controlling a backlight driving circuit of a liquid crystal display, comprising:
- providing a first pulse signal;
- providing a second pulse signal;
- receiving a control signal;
- setting both the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal to be alternately at a first high-voltage level and a first low-voltage level if the control signal is for driving a cold cathode fluorescent lamp,
- setting the first pulse signal to be alternately at a second high-voltage level and a second low-voltage level, and the second pulse signal to be a switching signal for a light emitting diode if the control signal is for driving the light emitting diode; and
- providing the backlight driving circuit for a connection to the cold cathode fluorescent lamp or the light emitting diode as a mutually exclusive light source.
16. The backlight driving signal generating method as recited in claim 15, wherein the control signal is for driving the cold cathode fluorescent lamp.
20030067436 | April 10, 2003 | Hara et al. |
20040119679 | June 24, 2004 | Garcia et al. |
20050007389 | January 13, 2005 | Kumamoto et al. |
20060044254 | March 2, 2006 | Kirk |
20060087254 | April 27, 2006 | Yang et al. |
20060125773 | June 15, 2006 | Ichikawa et al. |
20060152171 | July 13, 2006 | Kinjou |
20060208999 | September 21, 2006 | Lee et al. |
20060232995 | October 19, 2006 | Wu et al. |
20060238485 | October 26, 2006 | Yang |
20060267922 | November 30, 2006 | Kim |
20070103934 | May 10, 2007 | Keh et al. |
20080007803 | January 10, 2008 | Ying et al. |
Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 17, 2006
Date of Patent: Nov 2, 2010
Patent Publication Number: 20070268239
Assignee: Mstar Semiconductor, Inc. (Hsinchu Hsien)
Inventors: Song-Yi Lin (Taipei), Guo-Kiang Hung (Taipei)
Primary Examiner: Amare Mengistu
Assistant Examiner: Premal Patel
Attorney: WPAT, PC
Application Number: 11/560,881
International Classification: G09G 3/36 (20060101);